At the end of the street I wait for a bus to drive past, then cross the road to the HQ building. I flash my pass at the door, walk through the scanner, and wait while the guard checks my gun and searches my bag. The document case is hardly large enough to smuggle anything into the building, but it gives the guards something to do every morning. I push the gun back into the holster on my belt and pick up the bag.
Past the lifts and up three flights of stairs, pushing my knee and building the strength back up. I will not be limping forever, and the more I use the muscles, the stronger they get. I push the pain to the back of my mind and keep climbing, one step after another.
Bracken’s outer office has space for a desk, a chair and a filing cabinet on one side, and a leather-upholstered bench on the other. There’s a map hanging over the bench – strategic locations across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; Scottish border posts; ports, roads, and rail links. Major towns are marked, and there’s a grey shaded area where Leominster used to be. Behind the chair, there’s a window that looks out onto a narrow light well, and a view of other office windows. Everything in here is old – the worn dark green carpet, the dark wood furniture, the vertical blinds at the window – and there’s a dusty smell that never goes away.
But it’s better than a hut in a field, and a flat of my own is better than the Senior Dorm and the Medical Centre. Doctor Webb isn’t here to hand me crutches every time I stand up, and I don’t need Woods’ permission to talk to Bracken. I’m Bracken’s assistant now, and I get to decide who comes in, and who gets sent away. It’s also up to me to keep him sober, brief him with what he needs to know, and get him to meetings on time.
I drop the document case on the desk, and head out down the corridor to the coffee machine. I put two cups of coffee on a tray, and stop at the document drop on the way back to the office. The Private on duty hands me Bracken’s briefing folder, and I carry everything back to my desk.
Before I check the documents, I pick up the phone and dial a number I know by heart.
“Nevill Hall Hospital, High Dependency Ward.”
“Corporal Ketty Smith, calling about Liam Jackson. Do you have an update for me?”
There’s a pause while the nurse rustles some papers.
Come on, Jackson. Pull out of this. Don’t let the terrorists beat you.
“Sorry Corporal – no change. He’s stable, but there’s no improvement.”
“You’ll call me if he wakes up?”
“It’s on his file, Corporal. We’ll let you know.” She sounds impatient, like the nurses every morning.
“Thank you,” I say, and hang up, as I do every morning.
*****
When Bracken arrives, the paperwork is ready and I’ve finished my coffee. Not long to go before his first meeting of the day, so I need to make sure he’s briefed and alert. I give him a few minutes to hide his whisky bottle in the filing cabinet, then let myself in and put his coffee down in front of him.
“Thank you, Ketty. Have a seat. What’s waiting for us today?”
He looks exhausted. With one elbow on the desk and his forehead resting on the fingers of his hand, he looks as if he’s shading his eyes from the light in the office.
“Coffee, Sir,” I say, jokingly, indicating the cup with my pen. “And then a meeting with the big boss.”
Sober up, Sir. I need you to do your job.
He takes a sip of coffee and makes a face. “That’s today, is it?”
I make a show of checking my watch. “In about ten minutes, Sir.”
He sits upright in his chair. “Right. Right. So what do I need to know?”
“The agenda says you’re talking about tracking the terrorists. Specifically Ellman and her friends from the bunker.” He nods, and drinks more coffee. “And then there’s the prisoners. Questioning of William Richards and some of his co-conspirators. And there’s still the mystery of the women from Makepeace Farm.” I look up. “Apparently they haven’t responded to interrogation yet.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Tough women,” he says, with a note of respect in his voice.
Very.
I remember the prisoner at Camp Bishop. How she sat in silence and looked right through me, even after Jackson and I had used our fists to persuade her to talk. If her friend is anything like as tolerant of persuasion, it could be a while before we learn who they are, and what they know.
“What’s the latest on the bunker group?”
“Still missing, Sir. No trace of them after we tracked them through Skipton.” I flick through the papers. “Some rumoured sightings of Ellman and Pearce, but none near their last known position, and none together. Ellman’s been reported in Kendal, Durham, and …” I look again at the report. “… Margate.”
“That seems unlikely. They were heading north from Makepeace.”
“Yes, Sir. And there are reported sightings of Pearce in Birmingham, and from agents in Edinburgh.”
Bracken shrugs. “So we haven’t found them yet.”
“No, Sir. But we’ve got units on alert all over the country. It’s only a matter of time.”
He drinks the last of his coffee. “Anything else I need to know?”
“It says here that the interrogation of William Richards is scheduled for this week.” He nods. “Can I assume that we’ll have access to the recordings?”
“I’m going to push for access to the interrogation, live. I want to see what he’s hiding.”
“Very good, Sir.” I can’t keep the smile from my face. “That would be useful to know.”
Bracken pulls a notepad from his desk drawer and pushes a pen into his breast pocket. He looks up at me again.
“And Jackson?”
I shake my head. “No change, Sir. Thank you for asking.”
*****
We make it to the meeting on time. Major General Franks’ meeting room has a large table, and a view of the London Eye across the Thames. It’s a reminder of her place at the head of the Home Forces, and ours as new arrivals. I send Bracken in with his paperwork, and take a seat in the corridor outside. As the assistant of the lowest-ranking officer present, I’m the runner for this meeting. Runner, guard, message carrier. Whatever they need.
I’m making myself comfortable when Franks marches out of the room. I jump to my feet and salute.
“Corporal Smith. At ease.”
“Sir.”
She holds out her hand for me to shake. Her grip is firm and confident, and she’s smiling. She’s an older woman, slim and athletic, with short-cropped silver hair and an air of relaxed authority.
“Welcome to London,” she says. “We’re very pleased to have you and the Colonel working for us. I’ve pushed to bring you here – I think you can offer us some unique insights into our missing terrorists. Help us track them down. I gather you knew some of them personally, at Camp Bishop?”
“Yes, Sir. I was the Lead Recruit.”
She raises an eyebrow. “So you taught them everything they know?” She laughs. “I’m sure your insights will be invaluable to our investigation. You’ve briefed Colonel Bracken?”
I nod. “I have, Sir.”
She lowers his voice to a stage whisper. “And does he need coffee this morning, Corporal?”
I keep my face neutral. “Another cup wouldn’t hurt, Sir.”
She smiles again, and winks at me. “Keep him on his feet for us, Corporal Smith. We’re going to need you both if we’re going to find your missing recruits. There’s a place on the Terrorism Committee for him if he can show some progress.”
And she turns and walks back into the meeting room.
So that’s my job here. Keep Bracken sober, and give you profiles of the kids we lost.
Consider it done.
The Battle Ground series
The Battle Ground series is set in a dystopian near-future UK, after Brexit and Scottish independence.
Book 1: Battle Ground
Sixteen-year-old Bex Ellman has been drafted into
an army she doesn't support and a cause she doesn't believe in. Her plan is to keep her head down, and keep herself and her friends safe – until she witnesses an atrocity that she can't ignore, and a government conspiracy that threatens lives all over the UK. With her loyalties challenged, Bex must decide who to fight for – and who to leave behind.
Book 2: False Flag
Ketty Smith is an instructor with the Recruit Training Service, turning sixteen-year-old conscripts into government fighters. She's determined to win the job of lead instructor at Camp Bishop, but the arrival of Bex and her friends brings challenges she's not ready to handle. Running from her own traumatic past, Ketty faces a choice: to make a stand, and expose a government conspiracy, or keep herself safe, and hope she's working for the winning side.
Book 3: Darkest Hour
Bex Ellman and Ketty Smith are fighting on opposite sides in a British civil war. Bex and her friends are in hiding, but when Ketty threatens her family, Bex learns that her safety is more fragile than she thought.
Book 4: Fighting Back
Bex Ellman and her friends are in hiding, sheltered by the resistance. With her family threatened and her friendships challenged, she's looking for a way to fight back. Ketty Smith is in London, supporting a government she no longer trusts. With her support network crumbling, Ketty must decide who she is fighting for – and what she is willing risk to uncover the truth.
Book 5: Victory Day
Bex Ellman and Ketty Smith meet in London. As the war heats up around them, Bex and Ketty must learn to trust each other. With her friends and family in danger, Bex needs Ketty to help rescue them. For Ketty, working with Bex is a matter of survival. When Victory is declared, both will be held accountable for their decisions.
Book 6: Balancing Act
Corporal David Conrad has life figured out. His job gives him power, control, and access to Top Secret operations. His looks have tempted plenty of women into his bed, and he has no intention of committing to a relationship.
When Ketty Smith joins the Home Forces, Conrad sets his sights on the new girl – but pursuing Ketty will be more dangerous than he realises. Is Conrad about to meet his match? And will the temptations of his job distract him from his target?
Balancing Act revisits the events of Darkest Hour, Fighting Back, and Victory Day. The story is suitable for older teens.
Book 7: Finding Fire and Other Stories
What happened between Margie and Dan at Makepeace Farm? How did Jackson really feel about Ketty? What happens next to the survivors of the Battle Ground Series?
Step behind the scenes of the series with six new short stories and five new narrators – Margie, Jackson, Maz, Dan, and Charlie – plus exclusive access to bonus blogs and insights from the author.
Novella: Making Trouble
Fifteen-year-old Topher Mackenzie has a complicated life. His Mum is in Australia, his Dad is struggling to look after him, and Auntie Charlie is the only person who understands. When his girlfriend is forced to leave the UK after a racist attack, Topher faces a choice: accept the government’s lies, or find a way to fight back.
FREE download: freebook.tallerbooks.com
Acknowledgements
The Battle Ground series represents more than a year of hard work – not just for me, but for the people who have supported me and helped to make it happen.
A huge thank you is due to my amazing proofreaders, who have given up their time to read every book and send me helpful and insightful feedback. Thank you to Alan Platt, Holly Platt Wells, Reba Sigler, Joe Silber, and Reynard Spiess.
Thank you to my False Flag beta readers, Jasmine Bruce, Diana Churcher, James Keen, and Karen MacLaughlin, for encouragement and insightful comments.
Thank you to all the people who have given me advice on the road to publication: Tim Dedopulos, Salomé Jones, Rob Manser, John Pettigrew, Danielle Zigner, and Jericho Writers.
Thank you to everyone at NaNoWriMo, for giving me the opportunity and the tools to start writing, and to everyone at YALC for inspiration and advice.
Thank you to my amazing designer, Medina Karic, for deciphering my sketches and notes and turning them into beautiful book covers. If you ever need a designer, find her at www.fiverr.com/milandra.
Thank you to Alan Platt, for learning the hard way how to live with a writer, and for bringing your start-up expertise to the creation of Taller Books.
Thank you to Alex Bate, Janina Ander, and Helen Lynn, for encouraging me to write Battle Ground when I suddenly had time on my hands, and for introducing me to Prosecco Fridays. Cheers!
Thank you to Hannah Pollard and the Book Club Galz for sharing so many wonderful YA books with me – and for understanding that the book is always better than the film.
Special mention goes to the Peatbog Faeries, whose album Faerie Stories is the ultimate cure for writer’s block. The soundtrack to The Greatest Showman, and Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now, are my go-to albums for waking up and feeling energised to write, even on the hardest days.
This book is dedicated to Alan, who has lived with me for more than 20 years, and understands ‘write what you know’.
About the Author
Rachel Churcher was born between the last manned moon landing, and the first orbital Space Shuttle mission. She remembers watching the launch of STS-1, and falling in love with space flight, at the age of five. She fell in love with science fiction shortly after that, and in her teens she discovered dystopian fiction. In an effort to find out what she wanted to do with her life, she collected degrees and other qualifications in Geography, Science Fiction Studies, Architectural Technology, Childminding, and Writing for Radio.
She has worked as an editor on national and in-house magazines; as an IT trainer; and as a freelance writer and artist. She has renovated several properties, and has plenty of horror stories to tell about dangerous electrics and nightmare plumbers. She enjoys reading, travelling, stargazing, and eating good food with good friends – but nothing makes her as happy as writing fiction.
Her first published short story appeared in an anthology in 2014, and the Battle Ground series is her first long-form work. Rachel lives in East Anglia, in a house with a large library and a conservatory full of house plants. She would love to live on Mars, but only if she’s allowed to bring her books.
Follow RachelChurcherWriting on Instagram and GoodReads.
False Flag (Battle Ground #2)
First published by Taller Books, 2019
Text copyright © Rachel Churcher 2019
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead; events; or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of quotations in a book review or book club discussion. For more information, contact [email protected].
Cover design by Medina Karic: www.fiverr.com/milandra
www.TallerBooks.com
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